厦门水域中华白海豚出现于围头湾

厦门海域的中华白海豚是一个受威胁的种群。以往有关该种群的调查范围主要集中在厦门以及邻近的南部漳州海域。为了获得厦门岛东部海域（包括晋江围头湾、小嶝岛以及大嶝岛部分水域）白海豚的分布和数量等信息,本文于2013年6—8月对该水域进行了船基样线法调查和照相识别研究。调查期间共目击到白海豚26群,照相识别白海豚个体27头。所有照相识别的白海豚个体均与厦门中华白海豚个体识别数据库中的个体匹配,表明厦门中华白海豚的分布区至少向东延伸至围头湾。本文白海豚遇见率为5.8群/100km和24.8头/100km,均要高于以往在厦门水域的调查结果,表明大嶝岛—围头湾水域是厦门中华白海豚的重要栖息地之一,值得优先保护和管理。     

厦门湾中华白海豚潜在生态廊道识别及人类活动干扰评估

生态廊道具有维持或恢复生态连通性的功能，对于连接生物栖息地、保护物种多样性具有重要意义。现有的生态廊道研究主要集中于陆地，而海洋生态系统具有水体广泛连通、缺乏直观的景观斑块等特点，导致海洋生态廊道的研究成为长期以来的科学难题。以栖息地位于厦门湾的国家一级保护动物中华白海豚（Sousa chinensis）为对象，尝试基于物种分布模型和最小成本路径分析法建立海洋生态廊道的识别方法。研究采用物种分布模型识别厦门湾内中华白海豚的适宜生境分布区和节点，并利用模型产出的生境适宜性结果生成海洋中的阻力表面，模拟计算节点与节点间在阻力表面上的最小成本路径，从而生成物种扩散网络。研究结果显示，厦门湾中华白海豚的分布主要受到航道距离、到岸线距离和叶绿素浓度三项因素的影响，主要适宜生境位于西海域至九龙江口和大嶝海域。潜在的核心生态廊道面积93.19km²，次级生态廊道面积170.41km²，九龙江口-鼓浪屿南侧-黄厝-大小嶝岛沿线可能是厦门湾中华白海豚的主要迁移路线。在此基础上，从用海空间重叠和桥梁影响两方面开展了人类活动对廊道的干扰评估。评估结果显示旅游活动和航运活动可能是中华白海豚生态廊道的主要影响来源，其中核心廊道受旅游活动影响更大，次级廊道受航运活动的影响更大。此外，厦门岛北部的桥梁亦可能会影响中华白海豚生态廊道的连通性。研究创新性地提出了海洋生态廊道的空间定量化识别方法并成功应用于厦门湾中华白海豚研究，研究结果可为我国海洋生物多样性保护、海洋保护区的空间规划等领域提供新的科学工具。     

厦门近岸海域大型底栖动物次级生产力

于2013年5月和11月在厦门近岸海域设置67个站位进行大型底栖动物定量调查,运用Brey(1990)经验公式对该海域的次级生产力进行估算。结果表明:该海域大型底栖动物年均总次级生产力P和P/B值分别为4.6±10.1 g AFDW·m-2·a-1和1.0±0.4a-1,软体动物和多毛类为该海域P值的主要贡献类群,秋季的P值略高于春季,同安湾的P值明显高于大嶝海域、九龙江口、厦门外海域和围头湾。相关性分析显示,该海域次级生产力与沉积物有机质含量以及水体底温呈显著相关,底质类型以及采砂、航道清淤、环境污染等人类活动干扰也是影响次级生产力分布的主要因素。     

高强声纳可威胁鲸类的生命安全

Nature 2 0 0 2年 1 0日 4 1 5卷 6 86 8期 1 0 6页报道 :美国海军承认 ,在 2 0 0 0年 3月期间 ,由于使用高强声纳或水声测位系统 ,而导致鲸类突发性集体搁浅和死亡。据称 ,当使用高强声纳的美国海军的舰艇驶经巴哈马群岛不久 ,就有 1 6条剑吻鲸和小鱼曰皿 鲸在海滩上搁浅。此后 ,其中的 6条死亡。其余 1 0条返回海洋。尸体剖检发现 ,除内耳周围出血外 ,还有 1例出现脑出血。美国海军和美国国家海洋渔业署 (NMFS)对这一事件进行了一系列的调查。 2 0 0 1年 1 2月 2 0日发表的中期临时报告摘要肯定 ,鲸的出血是由高强声纳发出的声波引起的…     

王府井古人类文化遗址博物馆开馆

王府井东方广场旧石器时代遗址 1 996年 1 2月 2 8日发现。 1 996年 1 2月 3 0日至 1 997年 8月间中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所、北京市文物研究所和北京东城区文物管理所等单位对遗址进行了抢救性发掘。 1 997年 7月 2 3日至 8月 1 0日中国社会科学院考古所科技中心受发掘单位委托 ,对遗址进行起取保扩 ,把遗迹块运送到北京辽金博物馆存放。1 999年 2月博物馆破土动工。 2 0 0 1年 5月遗迹块运回进行复原。东方广场有限公司李嘉诚先生和北京东城区人民政府投资兴建了古人类文化遗址博物馆。由中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所、…     

北部湾沙田水域中华白海豚和江豚的同域分布格局及时空变化

北部湾是中华白海豚和江豚的重要分布区,但是对该水域两物种的分布格局及时空变化的研究却比较少,也不清楚这两个物种分布区是否有重叠.2003～2004年与2011 ～2012年期间,我们在北部湾沙田水域进行了船只调查,总计航程4 876.8 km,收集了两个物种空间分布的数据.结果表明,2003 ～ 2004年仅发现中华白海豚,2011 ～2012年则同时发现了中华白海豚和江豚.与2003 ～ 2004年4～5月相比,中华白海豚在2011年4～5月份的遇见率明显增加(0.152vs0.028头次/km).中华白海豚的MCP、95％ FK家域和50％ FK核心域面积分别为162.6 km2、271.35 km2和56.78 km2,2011 ～2012年50％ FK核心家域有所扩大且东移.江豚的MCP、95％ FK家域和50％ FK核心域面积分别为97.21 km2、318.72 km2和38.18 km2.江豚主要分布于中华白海豚的外围远岸水域,同时两个物种的分布区有小部分重叠.基于多种因素的分析,我们推测,江豚可能存在季节性迁移以及中华白海豚对河口区有明显的偏好,可能是造成它们分布格局不同的原因.     

有只海豚叫“三月”

正我要给你讲一个故事。故事的主人公是一只海豚,名叫三月。之所以叫这个名字,是因为它出生在农历的三月。三月降生在我国的珠江口海域。根据它的外形特点,科学家很容易就辨别出,它是一只雌性中华白海豚。三月很幸运,珠江口海域是全世界最大的中华白海豚栖息地,那里有不少它的同类。三月也很不幸,由于环境恶化,它一出生就要面对严峻的生存考验。     

北部湾儒艮现状的调查兼记印度洋白海豚

为了解北部湾中国水域儒艮的现状 ,于 2 0 0 0年 9月 15日至 11月 17日在广东、海南、广西三省区的沿岸海域进行了 36次舟船考察。调查结果表明 ,在北部湾的部分海域仍有儒艮存在 ,但数量比 2 0世纪 80年代已显著减少。建议把海南省西海岸近海的儒艮及其栖息地的保护作为最优先的海兽保护项目。另外在 11月 3日和 4日在广西壮族自治区北海市大风江口 (2 1°36′N ,10 8°5 4′E)的舟船考察中 ,还分别观察到约 7头和 4头印度洋白海豚的小群 ,它们属于在中国海域已知的唯一印度洋白海豚种群 ,建议广西合浦国家级儒艮自然保护区把印度洋白海豚也作为其重点保护对象之一。     

中华白海豚考察实录

这是我参与中华白海豚考察工作的第13个年头。海上调查并不是什么浪漫的工作。严谨的考察,不是只有拍照和看海豚;所谓的中华白海豚考察,针对的不只是动物本身,还包含它们所生活的海域。除了拍照,还必须测量海洋环境特征。     

青岛奥运帆船赛区理化、生物要素现状及富营养化诱发赤潮的围隔实验

于 2 0 0 1年 8月和 9月对青岛 2 0 0 8年奥运会帆船比赛海域进行了理化、生物等要素的综合调查 ,并利用围隔生态实验手段 ,在太平湾进行了营养盐与赤潮的关系研究。结果显示 ,本海域水质良好 ,基本符合一类海水水质标准 ,仅有个别站位出现某种污染物超标现象 ,如 8月份麦岛附近海域氨氮和无机磷超标 ,石油烃 8月份在浮山湾东侧北海船厂附近超出一类海水水质标准。该水域的叶绿素 a含量较低 ,平均 0 .4 2 m g· m- 3,总的分布状况是太平湾西侧的海域较高。初级生产力 8月高于 9月 ,分别为 179.0 mg C m- 2· d- 1和 114 .0 mg C m- 2· d- 1。浮游植物以硅藻中的中肋骨条藻、奇异菱形藻、旋链角刺藻和塔形冠盖藻为主 ,其细胞数量 8月明显高于 9月 ,分别为 4 5 7.2 6× 10 4 m- 3和 16 .38× 10 4 m- 3,数量密集中心在调查区西部。浮游动物生物量 8月比 9月高近 10倍 ,分别为 2 39.1m g· m- 3和 2 4 .7mg· m- 3,强壮箭虫在生物量中起主要作用 ,生物量和个体数量的分布与浮游植物基本相反。加营养盐的围隔实验表明 ,加硅会导致海链藻、短弯角藻、丹麦细柱藻和中肋骨条藻中的任何一种赤潮 ,硅成为该海域的主要限制因子。     

Analysis of heat transfer in the biological tissue layer with distributed system of blood vessels

Processes of heat transfer in the skin layer with blood vessels were investigated using mathematical modeling. Analysis of influence of a pathological state of blood vessels on heterogeneity of thermal field of the skin surface was carried out. For each site of body surface, there is a certain difference of temperature between normal and pathological sites, being specific for differential diagnosis of diseases of dermal and hypodermic vessels.     

Effect of cattle color, age, size and behavior on the intensity of the attack and sucking attachment by gadflies

Mechanisms of effect of some morphophysiological parameters of cattle (age, colour, weight, skin area, intensity of defensive movements) on the attacking and attaching activity of tabanid flies were studied. Investigations were carried out in the south of Pskov Province in small herds by the method of simultaneous recording of attacking and attaching tabanids on all animals of the herd. It was established that differences in the attaching activity of Haematopota, Tabanus and Hybomitra flies depend mainly on the parameters affecting the efficiency of their attacks and connected with the age of animals, intensity of defensive movements and the host's skin area. The former correlates with the age of cows negatively while the latter positively. Therefore, more tabanids attach themselves to old animals than to young ones. For Chysops flies the main factor determining their intensity of attachment is the intensity of attacking. When attacking the Chrysops flies show preference to animals of dark colour independent of their age. It is shown that the increase in the attacking intensity results in the decrease of its efficiency and therefore reduces the probability of attachment for each individual.     

Analyses to help identify individuals from a historical mass grave in Kassel, Germany

In 2008, the skeletal remains of more than 60 human individuals were found in a mass grave on the grounds of the University of Kassel, Germany. There was no evidence helping to identify them or throwing light on the cause of their death. Mainly due to 14C age determination and initial hints on age and sex distribution, historians hypothesized that they had been soldiers of Napoleon's army who died in an epidemic in the winter of 1813/14. To test this assumption, morphological and molecular analyses were carried out on a sample. The morphological analyses comprised an age and sex determination as well as a macro- and micro-morphological inspection for pathological deviations after the commingled bones had been assembled as individuals. The molecular investigations aimed to identify the geographic origin of the remains. For this, mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal haplotypings were carried out. The results point to a group of mainly young men, some of them suffering from systemic inflammation of the periosteum. Others revealed severe aberrations in bone microstructure. The greatest similarities revealed by Y-haplogroup and -haplotype distribution were to populations that live in what are now the Benelux countries. All aspects support the thesis that these were soldiers of the Napoleonic army.     

Cellular ageing of Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome cells in culture.

In Alzheimer's disease, the typical clinical symptoms and the pathological findings are restricted to the nervous system. Nevertheless, like in some other neurologic-metabolic disorders, several alterations are found in peripheral tissues. The aim of this study was to examine whether cellular properties which can be studied in vitro on skin fibroblast cultures obtained from Alzheimer's disease patients differ from those of age-matched controls. Down syndrome patients were also included, since the same neuropathological findings are present in nearly 100% of Down syndrome patients. Since Alzheimer's disease is an age-related disorder, we examined the growth characteristics of skin fibroblast cultures. The in vitro senescence of cultured fibroblasts is widely accepted as a model for in vivo ageing. Normal growth properties were found. We can conclude that there is no premature ageing in Alzheimer's disease nor in Down syndrome and that the abnormalities found in peripheral tissues are related to the disease itself. The beta amyloid precursor protein (beta APP) has been shown to have adhesive interactions. We therefore investigated several parameters of adhesion in the skin fibroblast cultures: adhesion to a fibronectin coat, adhesion to extracellular matrix of Alzheimer's disease cultures and semi-quantification of adhesion-related molecules (beta 1-integrin, cell surface proteoglycans, extracellular matrix proteoglycans, extracellular matrix fibronectin). No significant difference was found in the parameters examined.     

Phenology of the Littoral Forest of Sainte Luce,Southeastern Madagascar1

From January 2000 through December 2002, focal plant censuses were carried out to assess monthly leaf, flower, and ripe fruit presence for 423 individual plants (96 plant species, 39 families) within the littoral forest of Sainte Luce, Madagascar. Fruit‐on‐trail counts were conducted additionally in 2000 to allow comparison between both phenological methods. Despite low climatic seasonality and the absence of a dry season in the littoral forest, interannual phenological patterns were seasonal. Within year variability was present with clear periods of abundance and scarcity. All phenophases were highly intercorrelated and peaked from November through February. This was found in other humid Malagasy forests as well, while in dry Malagasy forests phenophases were separated in time perhaps due to the more seasonal climate. Temperature and day length seemed to influence all phenophases, the latter showing the strongest effect, while rainfall was only weekly associated with flushing and flowering. Differences in the presence of ripe fruits when comparing between sampling methods can be explained by the differential contribution of several life forms.     

Comparative anatomic studies of the tongue of Pan troglodytes (Blumenbach, 1799) and other primates. I. The chimpanzee tongue

This study was carried out on a comprehensive collection of tongues of Pan troglodytes. Material of tongues of Tupaia glis, Microcebus murinus, Chirogaleus major, Lemur catta, Galago crassicaudatus, Cebus apella, and Macaca mulatta were used for comparison of the different stages of the development of the papilla foliata. The tongue of Pan exhibits longitudinal growth correlated with the growth of length of the jaws and individual age. A typical foramen caecum as it occurs in man was gross anatomically not recognizable. Seldom a small circular depression appeared in the midline close to the papilla circumvallata centralis which could be the remnant of the foramen caecum. There is a remarkable accumulation of papillae filiformes and fungiformes at the apex linguae; the same seems to be true for other genera of primates. It is self-explanatory that the accumulation of papillae makes the tip of the tongue a particularly sensitive area; this has been found to be true even in man. One specimen of the prenatal age just before term was studied. It exhibited remarkably elongated, thread-like papillae, their function is unknown as yet. They are no longer present in a newborn specimen of 4 d of age. In the aboral part of the dorsum linguae, a special kind of papillae occur; they are flat lobes which carry moderately elongated, tiny processes at their free margin. The function of these papillae is unknown; taste buds are absent.     

Comparative study of Langerhans cells in normal and pathological human scars. I. Atrophic scars.

In the present study, we investigated Langerhans cells (LCs) in the epidermal component of human atrophic scars, comparing them with those in control skin and normotrophic scars. A preliminary analysis of the histological features was first carried out on vertical serial sections, stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The total epidermal thickness and the thickness of the single epidermal layers were then measured, by means of a digitizing tablet and a morphometric program run on an Apple IIe computer. These parameters were found to be significantly lower (40%) in atrophic scars, if compared to control skin and normotrophic scars (p less than 0.05). CDla-positive and HLA-DR-positive LCs were marked by indirect immunofluorescence. Their position among the epidermal layers, their dimensions, their density and their morphology were examined. In atrophic scars, LCs were densely and evenly distributed in all the epidermal layers. Their density was increased (about 1200 cells/mm2 of epidermal area), if compared to control skin and normotrophic scars (both 300-400 cells/mm2 of epidermal area; p less than 0.001). The CDla-positive definite cell bodies, exhibiting an unstained nucleus, were as large as those evidentiated in the normotrophic scars and twice as much the control skin values (p less than 0.001). The present results provide morphological data that distinguish atrophic scars from control skin and normotrophic scars, and suggest an involvement of the Langerhans cells in this particular case of pathological scarring.     

Age,growth, mortality and sex ratio of the inshore population of the edible crab,Cancer pagurus (Linnaeus 1758) in South Wales (UK)

Age, growth, and mortality of the edible crab, Cancer pagurus, were determined for the native population in South Wales (UK). Sampling was carried out on a monthly basis between February 2001 and September 2002. Carapace width ranged between 10.4 and 163 mm. Based on the carapace width frequency distribution, the Swansea and Gower population was composed mainly of males belonging to the first and second age‐class (1 and 2), and of females belonging to the third and fourth age‐class (3 and 4). Sex ratio was 1.126 ± 0.27 in favour of males. Carapace width frequency distributions and weight‐at‐age data were used to estimate the von Bertalanffy growth equation parameters. For the population as a whole, these were: L∞ = 199 mm, W∞ = 1179.56 g, K = 0.24 year^?1, t₀ = ?0.1004 years. The overall carapace width–weight relationship was: W = 0.38(CW^2.69). Analysis of covariance indicated a significant difference in the carapace width–weight relationship between males and females in the study area. Total mortality Z and natural mortality M rates for combined sexes were 1.245 year^?1 and 0.567 year^?1, respectively. The exploitation ratio E was estimated to be 54.43%.     

Quantitative determination of free cholesterol and cholesteryl esters in skin biopsies

A new technique is described for the determination of cholesterol in skin biopsies which is sensitive, practical and reproducible. The determination of cutaneous cholesterol is of clinical interest, because of its correlation with the degree of atherosclerosis. There was no correlation found between the blood total cholesterol and total triglycerides, and cholesterol and triglycerides determined in the skin biopsies. Determinations were carried out on several normal subjects, 7 long-distance runners, 34 hyperlipidemic patients. There was a significant increase with age of total skin cholesterol in the normal subjects, the values obtained with the long-distance runners had a tendency to be somewhat lower. All the patients investigated had higher cholesterol values than the normal controls or the sportsmen. This technique can be used therefore as a diagnostic tool to detect pathologies of skin lipids, or of tissue lipid metabolism, as for example in normolipidemic patients presenting corneal arcus or xanthelasmas.     

On the algal ecology of the lowland Iraqi marshes

An account is given of the algal vegetation in the near boat channels in the central area of the lowland Iraqi marshes. Sampling was carried out in February and September. The water here may be characterized as relatively turbid, slightly saline, highly calcareous and probably typically mesotrophic. Diatoms dominated the phytoplankton, many of the species being ones which are at least as characteristic of benthic communities. Periphyton was more conspicuous in February than September, with filamentous green algae especially common in February. Blue-green algae were more common in September; they frequently formed a felt with several different species and irregular deposition of calcite. Heterocystous blue-green algae were frequent in the periphyton but apparently not so in the plankton. A well-developed laminated community of blue-green algae and purple phototrophic bacteria occurred on the wooden hull of a boat.